Penn State Football: Nittany Lions Name Captains For 2016 Season

As Penn State sits just days away from the first week of the 2016 football season the Nittany Lions officially announced team captains on Tuesday evening.

The three players, each representing a different unit on the roster are all seniors. Linebacker Brandon Bell, center Brian Gaia, and specialist Von Walker were given the honor following a team vote. Walker is a captain for the second consecutive year.

“These captains are proven leaders on and off the field and have been outstanding representatives of our program,” Penn State coach James Franklin said in a release. “These are guys that have our program’s best interest in mind and they bring us together as a group.”

Bell started 11 games last season and ranked sixth in the conference in forced fumbles and third on the team in tackles for a loss and sacks. He ended last season with 11 tackles against Georgia in the Taxpayer Bowl.

Gaia started all 12 games last season en route to being a part of an offensive line that while struggling, managed to help freshman Saquon Barkley break the 1,000 yard mark and set a new single season freshman rushing record. Gaia makes the move from guard to center for his final season at Penn State.

Lastly Walker is a longtime special teams player known for his hard hits and physical nature. Walker earned his scholarship in 2015 after walking-on the team two seasons earlier while making the move from running back to linebacker. Walker finished the season tied for fifth on the team with seven special teams tackles, including a team-high six on punt coverage. Overall, Walker made 10 stops (six solo) with a forced fumble and a blocked kick

You'd be hard pressed to find something Tom King hasn't experienced in his 35-year career in law enforcement — everything from shotguns being pulled on him to helping senior citizens chase bats out of their homes. His 23-year tenure as State College Police Chief will come to an end with his retirement Aug. 31.